The Last Ride. 1977 Cadillac Hearse Junkyard Find 

There was a junkyard in North Carolina, went out of business in the late 80's. He had 9 hearses come through over the years. Before they were crushed, he removed the hood ornaments, and waited 1 minute before hitting the switch. 1 minute to remember those who took a final ride. 1 minute to remember the drivers. 1 minute to thank the machine for it's service.

If you ever come across a hearse and have time it's worth it to pull the hearse specific hardware. The decorative bars on the sides bring big money along with the rollers and hardware in the back. Hearse restorers are always looking for that stuff.

If it's an am-bu-lance, you got a chance, but if it's a hearse, it's gotta be worse!

The only car I like more than a station wagon!! Always wanted one. Love it! So cool.

I appreciate you taking the time to film this even though you didn't have much time. I'd love to daily an old hearse like this!!

Wow! This is something I've not seen before. Thanks for sharing.

One thing I forgot to mention. I've said it before but it needs to be set again. You take time out and upload and find some of the best stuff. Your videos have been fun from the first one.

Damn shame!!! I would love ti have that steel scrolling in the back..... Beautiful sight

Whoa Nelley, the hearse is a curse. Yes, I did make that statement some time ago, LOL and for years it was indeed true as most hearses and professional cars were Cadillacs. My father worked at a Cadillac dealer in the 1980s and they used to get hearses and funeral cars in the service department. One kept going on fire every time it came in, so the dealer owner refused to work on it again. Generally, there was a lot of poor wiring done for the upfit and that can lead to electrical fires. Superior Coach operated from 1909 to 1980, and then was sold in 1981 to Tom Earnhart. Eventually this merged with S&S and then eventually became Accubuilt. Sheller Globe bought Superior in 1969 and was a big conglomerate. Superior was based in Lima, OH. Sheller Globe at one time owned Leece-Neville who still supplies alternators today, although they are now owned by Prestolite. We got the VIN, we win: 6 for Cadillac, Z for commercial chassis, 90 for short sill cowl, S for 425 V8 with four barrel, 7 for 1977 model year, Q for Clark Street/Detroit, MI assembly and the rest is the production sequence. 1977 was the first year for the downsized Cadillac DeVille and Fleetwood series and they sold like wildfire. The 425 V8 was available from 1977 to 1979 and also came with EFI (although very few were made). They were a VIN code "T" if they had fuel injection. No tag, can't brag, but I got it figured out, no doubt: ST77 for 1977 model year, 6Z90 for Cadillac commercial chassis short sill cowl, FWD for Fleetwood body plant, aka close by to Clark Street, Detroit, MI assembly, 79E for Claret cloth interior trim, 13L and 13U for Georgian Silver lower and upper exterior paint, possible 05A,B,C, etc. for May 1977 production, A52 for front bench seat. Whoa Nelley, the funeral car won't go very far. Last ride and you can't save its hide. It's now flat and that's that. Yes, the Google Man made a pun and it's all in good fun. That's it, time to quit. Superior Coach and now it's a joke. 425 and took a nosedive. Made at Clark Street, and this one is beat. Cadu, it's over for you. It got squished and the Cadillac faithful along with the Google Man are a bit pissed.

What a rare find in a place like this. Too bad this couldn't be saved especially those who like these for so many different reasons. Thank you for sharing this Cadillac hesrse.

People were dying to ride in the back of that thing

Everybody in the comments "that thing never should've been crushed"... no, it never should've been neglected into that condition that landed the car in there in the first place.

Dam should of got them to save that old 425 out of it probably a good one.

Those hubcaps are worth some money ! Crazy they didn't remove those.

That steering column was good, the rims, hub caps,

I dunno Benny, I would've ripped off the hood ornament beforehand like a hooligan from the 90s. It was in good condition. I believe the engine is a 425 cu.

Oh man I need that door

Tears left my eyes 😢heartbroken 💔

Man i would of loved to have that

Damn.. I wish I knew about this car and location.

A fancy station wagon...

That was built by Superior Coach in Lima Ohio, some of my Family worked there and They also built School Buses.

I seen a Car wizards video last week about a guy that runs a funeral home that collects Hearst, he probably would've cried.

What a nice video I like it it's very excellent too also it's too bad they have to junk the funeral Coach they could have fixed it up and use it

Damn, I could have used those hubcaps and lock nuts.

Perhaps I'm superstitious or paranoid or whatnot but I personally wouldn't want to use parts off a hearse never know what kind of energy could be attached best to let it go

It looked kinda cool after it was crushed. Someone needs to do a chopped top hearse!

Cowboy Car Crushing would be like that a bad crush letting it burst outward. Let alone how it was picked up after 😳

Sadly this hearse hauled it's last body and now it's life over for this hearse 😥

Now that is a RIP.... 💀☠💀☠💀

What happens after this. Surely the steel gets recycled but how and where would be interesting to see.

That car did not come straight from the funeral home, dude

I worked at a scrap for years. And yea it sucks, but you got to do what the boss says just like any job.

This should have never been crushed . There are many people looking to buy these and will pay good money for them.

Dam thing was so heavy in the front and back it just wanted to bend in two.😂

Do you hear the screams coming from it

those wheel covers are worth money as other parts

425 -had a 77 fleetwood -good engine

Almost looked like one of those Tesla Trucks after it was crushed. lol.

Damn they leave the entire car intact? I thought they’d at least remove the motor or some other components for recycling.

Cadillac station wagon, I had a 66

Nice! Man you're brave, I wouldn't go near that thing if you paid me, hope it's not haunted! Sorry man.

Like the theme nothing lasts forever especially hearses & limo's

EU TENHO UMA FUNERÁRIA AQUI NO BRASIL VENDO ESSAS IMAGENS É DE CORTAR O CORAÇÃO 😭😭😭😭

Could’ve been the car that carried Elvis

I'm so curious who is the googleman and what's he look like, does anyone know him???

They didn't even try to save the 425...geez. Can't be mad at you guys, because at least it's documented before it got turned into a crap pancake. As the Google man said, quite a few of us are going to be pissed. 😡

Ouch!!!!

Spent its life giving people their last ride, now it’s turn. 😞😞🇦🇺🇦🇺

That was a dam shame

Couldn’t it be saved and restored instead of crushed? It looked healthy and worthy enough.

I would have grabbed the bier bins, cot bar, landau bars, curtain rods, sign holders, Cadillac Fleetwood hood ornament and other misc. goodies. Looks like the funeral home parked it out back and let it rot.

Sad..Elvis was hauled off in a 77 hearse. But white.

Damn,it's all there down to the complete 425 cu in engine,why this wasn't saved I don't know,what a shame.🤢😾

Why ?

Bro, why did they just give it to me?

MAN O MAN IVE BEEN TO SEE THIS ON UR CHANNEL.. NO MERCY THANKS FOR COIMG THUR.⭐😎👍💯😊😁

This was indeed painful to watch.

Thats no way to treat the dead 😩💀

Looked like it was badly abused for the low mileage on it . Should have saved the hood oranment and wheel covers as thay are hard to find now days.

Pooooorrrrr Cadillac 😐 Regards

I would have taken them hubcaps the dash board and the steering wheel any day

Rip

Don’t fall asleep in the back

Ironic

😢

Wow, not much structural integrity there after the big squeeze. Superior didn't exactly have superior engineers.

Noooooo I want the hubcaps

Last ride would have been a nice name for that car if it was given a second chance. RIP caddy

I could have used the Rollers

como me haces esto ! 😢

Apparently there is not enough demand for the unique components on this coach to justify salvaging any glass or trim. If it was a 1970 or older model year (especially any Cadillac coach with tailfins) then it would be either restored or salvaged for spare parts. There was an upheaval and consolidation in the American coach building industry (centered in Ohio) in the late 1970s. The downsized 1977 Cadillac required a completely new coach body which required expensive engineering. Also, there was high inflation at that time and ambulances based on the Cadillac commercial chassis were rapidly declining in popularity in favor of van-based emergency wagons (the last Cadillac ambulances were manufactured in 1979). Elvis Presley's body was transported in a white 1977 Cadillac hearse...white funeral coaches at that time were considered daring (that particular coach was destroyed in a mechanical failure a few years later).

Seats didn't look that bad. Could have easily been converted into a couch.

All that money 💰 they just crushed ,I could have made 2k of it just in parts alone.

Benny and the jets low milage 425 cu somebody could have used it

😪

This cadillac in Italy in this condition has a value of 10.000 euro! Only the four barrel carburator 300 euro, the emblem cadillac 200 euro... Compliment. Exist ebay

No

It's almost a pleasure. I'm a huge Cadillac guy and I'm about to get ripped apart by Cadillac people. Yes it's a 77 you could tell by the half lens tail lamps. First time they did that since 1969. The problem for me is it was the first year general motors resized their cars. They didn't know what they were doing. Big huge cubic inch motors no horsepower. They were ill proportioned. 77 through 79 were some of the worst selling cadillacs. They were trying all kinds of new things that were stupid. 350 Oldsmobile engines converted to diesel. The 4-6-8 engine. This had more than likely a 425 in it. No longer had its own Cadillac motor. I owned a 77 it was hardly a great cadillac. At least that's my opinion. Plus this model hearse took Elvis to his grave. To me there isn't enough glorious Cadillac here to carry Elvis. Everything about this car is insult. I wish they would have used the 1976 with him. It's the last Cadillac that look like a Cadillac until the 80s came along. The 1980 was modeled after those 71 through 76 Cadillac cars. This is some type of an Oldsmobile with Cadillac emblems. I had a coupe DeVille and there wasn't anything Cadillac about it.Crush baby crush!

Elvis Presley hearse his last ride was one those in white those 77 cadillac hearse are hard To come by someone would buy It it wasn't bad shape price metals is High don't care it about old car ill understand it about money not saving old cars

Hate seeing a caddy going through the crusher!! But one like that needs to go!!

Disgusting my heart breaks

First like

isn't the mileage that kills the value, but rather the age. Hearses do travel short periods, but always at slow speed, and multiple times a day. It's the sitting out and rotting that kills the value. Old hearses don't have any value in the funeral industry, so most end up being put outside the garage by most funeral homes after only a few years. For a hearse of that year to have had any value, it would have had to be maintained in pristine condition, and would have had to be about 40 years older. For that year, it wouldn't see any increase in value till about 2050, and then if it looked showroom new, it would have increased in value.

it got very flat like a pancake

What lies when Benny said that he couldn’t do nothing about it he could’ve bought it and saved it and found someone to take it or something haha

Amazing the stuff yards crush with no knowledge of the value

Oh yes that is a stolen caddy from California, lolol it on the stolen car list , lol nice 👍 thanks BigAl California

The dude on the loader knows nothing about operating a skip loader lol nice not, thanks BigAl California.

Obama and Biden were are the worst things to happen to this country. Cash for clunkers was why so many adorable used vehicles left the market and the auto industry still died way to go

Oh no someone can refurbish or restore the poor hearse, I wanted it!

Benny Sever weather heading your way this after noon." Watch Texas Storm Chasers" on you tube for more imfo. LG in chigo. 3/21/22

That engine tranny Go in your Firebird

There was a junkyard in North Carolina, went out of business in the late 80's. He had 9 hearses come through over the years. Before they were crushed, he removed the hood ornaments, and waited 1 minute before hitting the switch. 1 minute to remember those who took a final ride. 1 minute to remember the drivers. 1 minute to thank the machine for it's service.